Polar Plants - Issue 12, March 2009 (click title to entry - thank you)
Did you know that Antarctica is home to two species of plants? At the opposite end of the earth, over a thousand plant species grow on the Arctic tundra. And that's not counting the many species of algae and lichens that are not classified as plants. In this issue, we highlight high quality resources for teaching plant classification, life cycles, and adaptations. Enrich your practice with our professional resources and discover science lessons and informational text to engage your students.
Photo: White cottongrass in Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland. Photo copyright Henning Thing / DPC, Polar Photos.
March 10, 2009
12 PM utc
Antarctica Surface Wind Image (click here for animation for March 9 & 10)
There is obvious movement of air from the colder and higher elevations to the lower elevations. There are also 'on shore' winds that bring hotter temperatures.
March 10, 2009
0600 gmt
Antarctica Jet Stream Image (click here for film loop from March 5 through March 8)
The reason there is so much heat and loss of frigid air is obvious, especially when reviewing the film loop. There are heat transfers resolving their traverse from the Equator over the Blue Ice in Antarctica. While the Peninsula is a completely different issue, the Blue Ice is directly hit by the heat from the Equator.
March 10, 2009
In only five days the frigid air mass has shifted again and there is far less cold air over the 'entire' of Antarctica as noted however there is a migration of cold air off the higher elevations to the Peninsula where it will warm.
The Peninsula does receive heat transfers as noted in the falling pressure and increased cloudiness, however, there is also movement of air from the high elevation Blue Ice to the Peninsula due to the arrival of the less dense heat transfer. The denser cold air 'falls off' the higher elevation as it is pushed out from air masses arriving at higher elevations in the troposphere but increasing in density as it cools while subliming the Blue Ice. In other words, there are far too many air molecules at higher elevations to maintain 'stagnant' air masses of cold air.
March 5, 2009
March 10, 2009
12 PM utc
Antarctica Temperature Image (click here for 24 hour loop)
Coldest reporting stations in Antarctica are below. There is a marked difference between the two stations besides elevation. Elevation is important to realize the coldness and sun exposure, however, these two stations have different 'weather conditions.' Clean Air has clouds and percipitation while Vostok does not. Clouds insulate Earth with heat as it reflects 'infrared' back to the planet. The warmest areas today are both reporting scattered clouds. I have included the information regarding Base Orcadas, Antarctica to include the issue of humidity. The pressure readings are falling at this reporting station as there is higher humidity and overcast conditions with higher temperatures. Noted also, the overcast conditions extend vertically in the troposphere to 689 feet.
Vostok, Antarctica
Local Time: 11:21 PM VOST (GMT +06)
Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E (Google Map)
Updated :: 5 hr 21 min 58 sec ago
Temperature :: -73 °F
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity: 34%
Dew Point: -81 °F
Wind: 9 mph from the SSW
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: in (Falling)
Visibility: 12.0 miles
Elevation: 11220 ft
Clean Air, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:24 PM GMT (GMT +00)
Lat/Lon: 89.9° S 0.0° W (Google Map)
Updated: 5 hr 34 min 29 sec ago
Temperature :: -44 °F
Conditions :: Light Snow Grains Blowing Snow
Windchill: -76 °F
Wind: 16 mph from the NE
Pressure: 28.22 in (Rising)
Visibility: 0.5 miles
UV: 0 out of 16
Clouds: Overcast 3000 ft (Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 9285 ft
Base Esperanza, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:35 PM GMT (GMT +00)
Lat/Lon: 63.4° S 57.0° W
Updated: 2 hr 35 min 13 sec ago
Temperature :: 44 °F
Conditons :: Scattered Clouds
Humidity: 60%
Dew Point: 35 °F
Wind: Calm
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 29.00 in (Rising)
Visibility: 6.0 miles
Clouds: Few 984 ft
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 43 ft
Base Marambio, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:35 PM GMT (GMT +00)
Lat/Lon: 64.2° S 56.7° W
Updated: 2 hr 35 min 43 sec ago
Temperature :: 42 °F
Conditoins :: Scattered Clouds
Humidity: 46%
Dew Point: 28 °F
Wind: 7 mph from the NW
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 28.97 in (Rising)
Visibility: 12.0 miles Clouds: Few 9843 ft
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 650 ft
Base Orcadas, Antarctica
Local Time: 3:36 PM GST (GMT -02)
Lat/Lon: 60.8° S 44.7° W
Updated: 2 hr 36 min 34 sec ago
Temperature :: 37 °F
Conditons :: Overcast
Humidity: 96%
Dew Point: 36 °F
Wind: 21 mph from the North Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 29.13 in (Falling)
Visibility: 9.0 miles
UV: 1 out of 16
Clouds: Overcast 689 ft
(Above Ground Level)
Elevation: 20 ft
